Adjustable lawn sprinkling means



Dec. 4, 11934. E. J. SWEETLAND 1,982,840

ADJUSTABLE LAWN SPRINKLING MEANS Filed June 8, 1952 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES AParietti ori-ice 1,982,840 ADJUSTABLE LAWN sPmNKLING MEANS Ernest sweilna, Piedmont, Calif. Application Julie 8,1932. serialno. 615,973 5 claims. (c1. :a99- 60)` I-he `present invention contemplates lawn sprinkling means of :the adjustable type and while it relates especially to theV imbedded type of sprinkler ,head which is permanently attached -f'' i5 to an underground pipe, it may also :be `employed in connection with portable sprinklers.

In the irrigation :of lawnsdt is well vknown practice `ite supply Vthe lawn with a pluralityof `undergronnd water supply pipes, v-eaizh of which 'is equipped with an `,imbedded sprinkler head at regular intervals which may vary in ordinary spra'ctice from v `or 10 feet apart .up to 15 or20 7feet, depending upon the amount of water discharged from each nozzle and the area which :the spray .Ir-,om `each nozzle is capable of covering.

It is found in practicethat due `to the variation in shape andcontour of the lawngitis often desirable 4to radjust Athe discharge of the nozzles individually 'so asto obtain even `coverage and maximum benet from the water employed.

I am aware that nozzles have been devised with a valve adjustment associated with the nozzle in such manner that individual adjustment is possible, but. ladiusting lmeansheretofore employed are opento certain objections which are .overcome'by the present invention. For instance,

some oi the nozzlesnow on' the market have an independent ladjusting valve located within the body of the nozzle such manner that the aperture is not easy of `.access in the event of it becoming clogged; and the further objection is-that the valve: mechanism vis independent oi the spray 'forming .apertures in the nozzle, so that the pressure of water ris-reduced before reaching the spray forming apertures. Therefore when the flow is restricted by means of the valve, the pressure is cut down and the efficiency of the spray is thus impaired.

The .present invention notonly zis extremely simple inconstruction and consequently inexpensive, but offers the `advantagethat the full pressure vis delivered to a point immediately adjacent thev angularspray forming apertures so that `better `results are obtained. d i f A further advantage of my invention resides in spring 4controlled means of maintaining a uniform degree of ,friction upon the valve so ,that it is always properly 4seated without the .likelihood iof the valve becoming stuck in any particular t .50 position due `to corrosion.

Referring to the accompanyingdrawing:

Figure l represents a side elevation of the inventionin position imbedded in the surface. of the lawn. f

Asion spring is employed.

'Figure 12 shows a modied form of vtheinvention wherein the apertures in the Ivalve member are formed at an angle correspondingv with lthe ang-le `of the spray forming apertures. e

Figure 3 shows a` further modification wherein `a compression, spring is imbeddedin the disc 60 which is provided with spiral apertures `for cre- ,ating the spray. Figure 4 shows a further modification of the same'invention wherein an external compresl 5 LFigure 5 shows a further modification wherein spring vtension is created .by .a plurality of slots in the valve 'forming` member. k

Figure 6 is a further modification wherein the spring tension is created by means vof ,flangedlprof jections formed on the valve member.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the valve member employed in the vconstruction illustrated 4inFigurel.- 1...., *i Figure 8 is a plan view of the valve memberillustrated in Figure L5 removed fromthe casing,V

' Referringto the drawing in detail and particularly toFigure, 1, Vthe numeral@ indicates a sprinkler headcasing which is preferably made of a brass casting which is circularl incross section .80 and which is provided with the `threaded opening2 which receives .thenozzle member 3 with its 4attendant parts. 4 `is a `circular flange which surrounds the `nozzle V3 and protects it against in- .jury :from lawn mowers and the like,4 andv atthe 18,5

same time prevents .the grass from growing too closely around theV nozzle aperture. 5 is a circular disc which is .provided with 2 or more angular groovesf which produce a swirling motion of the water .as it enters the chamber 7 to create ..90

'the swirling spray as the `water discharges through the aperture 8. 9 is arotary valve which is secured in place by means of the slotted rivet 11 and this rivet is headed over at the`.point 12 and expanded into the central hole in the valve mem- .95 ber ,9, so that when the slotted rivet is turned, the valve member 9 turns with it; In this construction the valve member 9 is formed with a slight convexity as shown in detail in Figure 7 so that when the rivet is headed over. inerpiace, the valve `1100 member tends to atten out-and being preferably made off as'pringy metal, sufficient friction is created to prevent the valve turning except when 1 1. In this construction as in all of. the modi'iica- A' tions the disc 5 is a driving fit into'the'port vof the nozzle 3 so that the disc is stationary with relation to the casing. 1.4i is a .pipe .thread which nts `upon'ile underground nipple 15 which issupplied no 5 angular slots 2O in the disc 5 and a corresponding number of openings 19 which, when the valve is open, register with the slotted openings 20.`

The member 18 is held in place by the rivet 21 which is provided with the slottedhead 22 and is headed over on the lower side of the valve at the point 23 with sufficient tightness to provide the desired friction between the two parts vand thus prevent the valve member 18 from rotating due to the discharge of water through the slots19 and 20. y

Referring to Figure 3 the valve casing 3 is equipped with the disc 25 which in this instance is provided with spiral grooves 26 and 27 which give the desiredswirling motion to the water as it enters the chamber 7a. In this modification the valve member 30 is a fiat disc having apertures corresponding to the spiral openings 26 and 27. The valve member 30 is held in place by the slotted rivet 28 which is rigidly xed to the valve member 30 at the point 28a. The disc 25 is provided with'a recess 29 `which receives the compression spring 31 which bears against the washer 32 at its upper end. The spring 31 being strongly compressed holds the valve member30 in Yits adjusted position at all times.'

In the modification shown in Figure 4 the casing 3 is provided with the. angularlyy slotted disc 33 and the valve member 34 which is held in frictional engagement against the disc 33 by means of spiral compression spring 35 which is supported by the washer 36. This washer is secured to the lower end of the slotted rivet 40 which is headed over at the point 37.

Figure 5 represents an inverted plan View of a valve member 38 which may be of the same general form as the valve members shown in previous figures, except that in this instance the valve member 38 is provided with slots 39 which supply the necessary spring action to hold the valve inv place at all times except when it is voluntarily turned by means of a screw driver. These lslots appear in this figure with parallel sides, but ,when released from the casing 3 these slots spread to the position indicated in Figure 8. It is through the partial closing of these slots that spring tension against the side walls of the casing 3 is created and the valve is thus held in its normal position. The opening of the slots 39 is exaggerated in Figure 8 to better illustrate the point.

Figure 6 is a further modication in which the casing 3 is provided with a slotted or grooved disc 41 which may bewof the design illustrated in any of the previous figures. In this modification the valve member 42 is stamped out of thin metal, preferably spring bronze, having apertures to correspond with the apertures in the disc 41, and the spring action is created by the downwardly turned projections 43 which spring outwardly against the walls of the casing spring tension. Y

Figure 7 shows a form of valve disc such as is used in Figure 1. In this figure the convexity 3 to create the desired y then the valve member is so placed that its openings are in full alignment with the angular or spiral grooves in the periphery of the disc to which is it secured. If desired `to cut down the Adischarge from the nozzle, a screw driver is applied through the opening 8 to the slotted rivet head and the valve member is turned to any desired degree whereby-the size of discharge apertures are cut down, thus making it possible to regulate the flow from a very small fraction of a gallon of water per minute up to the full capacity of the nozzle.

Where the term slide valve is used in the following claims it is intended to dene the rotary valve member which Vslides upon the surface of the perforated partition in the casing. This slide valve is designated'v by the numerals 9, 18, 30, 34, 38 and 42 respectively of the various views of the drawing. Y

While in the various drawings I have shown the perforated partition as being superimposed upon the rotary valve member, it should be understood that in practice the valve member may be above the stationary perforated partition if desired.

Although IA have shown a screw driver slot in the central rivet in the several drawings, it should be Lmderstood that any form of wrench receiving -face may be employed if desired, such for instance, as a square or hexagonal head.

While I have illustrated and described preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that the invention is subject to many.

modifications and that I am limited only to the invention as set forth in the following claims as limited by the prior art.

What I claim is: f l

1. A sprinkling device comprising a nozzle member having a central discharge opening; a stationary perforate disc secured within said member; a revolvable disc secured in registration with said stationary disc and provided with apertures adapted to be placed in registration and form a valve with the perforations in the stationary disc; means holding said revolvable disc in any selected position; and a pivot non-rotatably fixed to the revolvable disc and extending upwardly through an opening in the stationary disc, said pivot terminating in a tool receiving surface accessible through said discharge opening. Y

2. A sprinkling device comprising a nozzle member having a central discharge opening; a stationary perforate disc secured within said member; a revolvable disc secured in registration with said stationary disc and provided with apertures adapted to be placed in registration and form a valve with the perforations in the stationary disc; means holding said discs in fric- A, tional engagementwith each other; and a lpivot 'member; a revolvable disc secured in registration with said stationary disc and provided with apertures adapted tobe placed in registration and form a valve with the perforations in the stationary disc; a spring holding said discs in frictional engagement with each other; and a pvot non-rotatably xed tothe revolvable disc and extending upwardly through an opening in the stationary disc, said pivot terminating in a tool receiving surface accessible through said discharge opening.

4. A sprinkling device comprising a nozzle member having a central discharge opening; a stationary perforate disc secured within said member; a revolvable disc secured in registration with said stationary disc and provided with apertures adapted to be placed in registration and form a valve with the perforations in the stationary disc; means holding said revolvable disc in frictional engagement with said nozzle member; and a pivot non-rotatably fixed to the revolvable disc and extending upwardly through an opening in the stationary disc, said pivot terl minating in a tool receiving surface accessible through said discharge opening.

5. A sprinkling device comprising a nozzle having a pair of internal discs provided with registering openings, one of said discs being mounted in stationary relation to` said nozzle and the other being revolvably secured by a pivot to said stationary disc, said pivot 'being non-rotatively secured to the revolvable disc and having a tool receiving surface in alignment with a discharge opening in said nozzle, and means holding the revolvable disc in any selected position with respect to the stationary disc.

ERNEST J. SWEETLAND. 

